It's the thought that counts
by Samuretard
Summary: After the events in London, the crew in Radiator Springs begin their normal life, but McMissile returns to his missions around the globe. Until their worlds cross paths again...
1. Chapter 1

Radiator Springs, Arizona. 1722 hours. The Day after the Radiator Springs Grand Prix.

After the eventful time in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London, Mater was finally home, again living the daily life with the residents of the town. Mater sighed in his shed. He only just realised what a time he had had.

Dawn broke. All the racers who attened the Grand Prix had left in the night. He crawled out of his half broken shed, and left his leaning sign where it was. Another day in Radiator Springs. Sally and McQueen joined him as he drove slowly down the road, passing other cars stopping by the town. Ramone came out, with a new paintjob based on landmarks around the world. Even his hydraulics that elevated him were painted with pictures of Big Bentley. Flo and Luigi flipped their signs to open and drove out. Luigi was straightening out the Leaning Tower of Tires. He followed Luigi to Flo's Café. Lizzie opened her shop's door which creaked slowly. Red was watering his flowers, as usual. Sheriff opened his garage door, which almost crashed back on top of him as he exited. He shook the dust of his exhaust and joined the others.

Flo was the first to speak. 'Mornin fellas! It's a pretty morning ain't it?' No kidding, the sun was brighter than usual today. Soon, everyone was working, as the visitor cars bustled about on the road. One Range Rover got new tires from Luigi's, and was very proud of them. Flo's Café was almost full, with customers entering to escape the heat outside. Red even splashed some children with cold water.

It was a typical, slightly hot day. Mater looked around, and only then did he realise that he had seen so much in such a short time. Seeing a 'live karate demonstration' and 'first class catering', Finn thinking he was an American spy, the Lemons, and Axlerod. He was still trying to contain the thought that it was only a matter of weeks it happened. He sighed, which was unusual of him, normally, he would be happy to be home, but he somehow wasn't. He was somewhere in between. But soon, Lightning suggested they went tractor tipping, and that cheered him up. Before long, the field was full of tractors farting and falling on their backs. This was his home, and he belonged here. Mater felt happy. He knew that it couldn't get much better than this.

At the thought of this, he suddenly felt pity for Finn McMissile and Holley. Mater knew that they weren't allowed to show who they really were, and having friends for them was dangerous. Mater knew that if having friends was dangerous, having a romantic relationship was pretty perilous, but he knew that Holly cared for him, and Mater likewise. Lightning crawled up to him so quiet he didn't see or hear him. "You alright buddy? You seem a little occupied in your thoughts". "Yeah buddy, I'm good, was just thinking of what a dad gum time we had". He brushed aside his thoughts, and continued home with his best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Unknown Location. Somewhere in the East China Sea. Time Unknown.

Finn McMissile parked next to a partially opened door. The conversation he was hearing was intense. There was only one voice he recognised: Professor Zundapp. The German Lemon was involved in something much bigger than their last encounter.

He peeked into the room was his mirror. The room was a large conference room, and the owner of it was evidently a very rich car. The walls were draped in purple silk, the floor was Highly polished marble and there were black and white pictures of some the greatest villains in history. Joseph Stalling, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

The conversation was under the quiet humming of the air conditioner, and he checked the temperature inside which his thermal scanner. It was cold, like it was in the corridor. He checked his own engine temperature. He adjusted the temperature in his chassis, so he wouldn't show up on thermal sensors.

"…. So that, comrades, concludes our meeting. Finn suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline, but no one exited the room. Yet when he peeked in, there was no one. He was certain that this room only had one entrance and exit. Holley was always right, but what if she overlooked this room having another, secret exit?. He crept inside, his tires making such a soft sound it could be compared with his breathing. Sitting next to the fireplace was a file cabinet. 'There must be some sensitive information in there' he thought.

Checking the room twice to make certain there were no cameras, he pulled out his circular cutter. He looked at it. The last time he used it was to cut a hole in an airport window to get Mater away from Acer and Grem. The thought disappeared, and he adjusted the diameter of the hole. The knife was soundless as it cut through the 60 millimetre thick tin. He pulled the drawer out, but there was only two files inside. One was labelled. 'Callsigns' and the other file was labelled 'Classified. Need To Know Only. He photographed them and Finn picked the second one with his tire and instantly a siren went off, followed by an alarm. The loudspeaker in the underground complex informed calmly and robotically:

'Unauthorised file movement, Unauthorised file movement', it repeated. In the blink of a windshield, Finn scooped up the other file and made a bolt into the corridor, only to be blocked off by a Hummer with a pistol on his wheel. He cocked it. Finn dodged the bullet that screamed from it and deployed his own guns. The Hummer shuddered as the rounds bounced off his armour. Finn blasted him with a missile, and bolted past him has the Hummer fell. He raced up the spiral ramp to the surface, with security guards chasing him. Finn deployed a trick he had used before on an oil rig. A small bomb dropped out of his wheel hub and stuck to the tarmac behind him. A jeep raced up just as the bomb went off. Everyone behind him was blocked and Finn was able to escape to the surface. The island that sat on the complex was barren, and couldn't have been more than a hectare. Finn raced into the waves, and deployed his skis and raced away. 'This time there aren't destroyers with missiles and chainguns trying to kill me' He thought. He contacted Holley, who was parked behind her new desk in the main CHROME headquarters somewhere in London. 'This is agent Finn McMissile calling in'. Holley brought up here Heads Up Display (HUD) and saw Finn racing along the waves. 'Mission accomplished'. Holley blinked. 'Good job Finn, what did you retrieve from the complex?' Finn showed her the picture of the two files and asked 'Where is the extraction point?' Holley scrolled up the screen. '18 kilometres North East of your position, transmitting coordinates now'. 'Agent Finn out'. Finn increased his speed towards the extraction point.


	3. Chapter 3

CHROME Headquarters, London.

Holley Shiftwell rechecked Finn's mission reports. She looked around, everyone was busy, and silent in the office. After Finn contacted her, she had scanned every square centimetre in the complex he had stolen the files from. Nothing. Holley wasn't surprised. It was pure luck she found the island at all, locating it after a tipoff from a Lemon and tapping into the RADAR of Chinese trawlers.

It didn't make sense to her. Finn, who had been recording the entire mission, uploaded the video file onto her laptop. There were no reports of breakouts from Scotland Yard, so how had Zundapp escaped? At that thought, she rechecked his records. After serving a few months in the Yard, he was transferred to a Japanese impound. There he was interrogated. That was the extent of his prison records.

She played the video again. There was no visual sign of Zundapp, just his voice. The voices however, were inaudible, and digital, like the voice that Miles Axlerod had used in his video calls with his Lemon henchmen.

"It couldn't have been Axlerod" she thought. She knew that because he was still in prison, under the heavy guard of Scotland Yard.

In the middle of that thought, a small alarm sounded on her laptop. Break time. Holley sighed, and drove off to get a can of oil at the office vending machine. She checked her HUD. Finn had reached the extraction point, and was heading back to London via the Tokyo Station, where Holley had used to work.

She entered a flashback, to when she first met Finn, scanning the multiple media cameras at the World Grand Prix Party in Japan. Then it skipped ahead to when Finn suddenly made her a field agent, seeing Mater for the first time wagging his tow hook like a puppy, and how he embarrassed her by shouting across the stadium at her.

A second small alarm sounded, and she heard another small alarm, and headed back to her desk. She was a field agent, but with the recent reduction of criminal activity, there was little for her to do. Then, just as she was about to get even more bored than she was, Finn called in, telling her he was in the Tokyo Station, awaiting Siddeley to pick him up.

Holley closed the call, and continued her work.

CHROME Headquarters Tokyo

Finn parked in the waiting room, which had a sort of metallic smell you would detect in a hospital with few patients. The air conditioning made the room rather chilly. He decided to explore the place. He entered a room full of cars with their eyes embedded in their screens, typing away. Then, between a Corolla and a Land Rover, was an empty desk. On it was a sign that displayed name of the agent working at the desk. This one was bright purple, with glossy print. 'Holley Shiftwell' it read. Finn wondered. "This was where Holley used to work?" He drove over to the other side of the desk, and careful not to distract the others from working, opened the drawers, which were all empty- almost.

There was a small sheet of laminated paper, the size of a photograph. He flipped it. There was Holley a few years younger than she was now, on a beach, parked next to a silver Nissan 350Z. Silently, he swiped the photo with his tire and hid it from everyone else. He closed the drawer and noticed that no one had even blinked at him since he had set his tire in the room.

Finn rolled out, and met with a forklift.

"Siddeley is here, McMissile" he said, in fluent English, despite being Japanese.

Finn thanked him and made his was to the runway, where Siddeley was. He had been recently polished, had new engines fitted, and been refitted with the best stealth technology CHROME could provide.

"How are ya Boss?" he asked.

"I'm fine old boy, just got a few scratches. Crashing into security guards leaves a mark" he replied.

Siddeley produced a half-hearted laugh. "Seems good boss, come on, London's waiting for ya".

With that, ignited his engines, and created an enormous amount of thrust. Finn, surprised with Siddeley's new power, had to hold to his fuselage with his magnetic tires. After takeoff, he examined his mission video. Something unexpected caught his eye. He looked out of the window.

"My god" he said to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile in Radiator Springs…..

"…..And that, is how we infiltrated their party." finished Mater. The cars were in shock and awe. Sheriff was the first to speak up.

"We ain't havin' any of yer machine guns here Mater" he stated bluntly.

"They were taken off when Finn left."

"Come on boy's, the weather's a lil' hot out here, come inside and grab a cool drink!" Flo shouted to everyone. Noone thought twice. Mater was the last to enter, and something inaudible was playing on the radio. He tuned up the volume. An Indian accent blurted out "…. The Asian Grand Prix Tour is commencing next month. All racecars from the Northern Hemisphere are invited!" Everyone stopped drinking and stared.

"Hey Lightning, you gonna enter?"

Lightning's reply came just as the last syllable left Mater's mouth.

"Sure I am buddy!, it will be great fun for us!"

"But if it was like the World Grand Prix…."

"Mater, I know you're worried, but those things only happen once in a lifetime. We'll be fine!"

No-one cheered. They just stared at the two best friends. It was evident that they were worried for Lightning. Sally was parked next to Lizzie, and Lightning noticed her to look more concerned than anyone else. Seeing her the way she was, Lightning reconsidered, and drove out. Mater followed suit after taking his drink.

"Luigi will-a check the sponsors for this-a race."

He and Guido left the café. Everyone started chatting again, but only about the Asian Grand Prix.

"You know man, at least it's not about that Allinol crap anymore." Fillmore said to Sarge.

"I think the two need to be more careful. You never know what could happen, but on the upside, at least Mater will know what to do if he is sucked into a spy mission."

The two friends laughed.

As Sally made her way to the Cosy Cones, she heard indistinct arguing from Mater's shed. She crawled quietly against the fence in his yard.

"McQueen, I just don wan you hurt, that's all"

"I'm telling you Mater, I'm entering, regardless what you say now" McQueen shouted.

"Okay, you go along, and join that race now, but please be careful" Mater's tires slightly deflated.

"Wait, you aren't coming?" McQueen asked in surprise.

"No, I think I'm more use here, remember last time I was in the pits trying to help ya'll?"

"You saved our lives Mater!" McQueen exclaimed.

"Before that."

Lightning understood. Mater was talking about the time when accidentally told Lightning to 'get on the outside' of a bend, causing Francesco the pass and win the race. Without another word, he drove off, and didn't notice Sally on his way out.

Ramone finished giving McQueen a new paintjob, with stickers. "You like it?"

"Of course Ramone, thanks again."

"No problem man, anytime."

McQueen entered Luigi's tyre store.

"Luigi, mind if I use your computer to book flights?"

"Where-a to Lightning?"

"Well, the first race is in Hong Kong."

"You are going!?" Luigi was shocked.

"Well of course I am." replied Lightning, "What's the big deal?"

"What is the big-a deal!? You need to rest, have some-a time here. You-a must have time to enjoy life, with your friends." Luigi suggested.

"Thanks Luigi, but I'm going."

"That is too bad, but OK, I will book your tickets."

"Guido! Six tickets please!" he shouted to Guido, who was already at the computer.

"Wait!" exclaimed Lightning. "Guido, not six, five. Cinque"

Luigi was surprised. "Who isn't going?"

Lightning took a deep breath and answered: "Mater"


	5. Chapter 5

International airspace, North Pacific.

Siddeley was being tailed by two fighter jets intent on destroying him along with Finn, who had only just recovered from his sudden take-off. Finn heard the faint noise of machine guns cocking and braced himself.

The duo opened fire. Tracer rounds lit the afternoon sky and Siddeley was executing frantic evasive manoeuvres as the shots flew past him. One passed so close to his visor it scratched it. He was annoyed, as his visor had just been cleaned, but this, of all times was no time to worry about it. One of the fighters burst out a cluster of rounds and hit one of Siddeley's jets and he spiralled into a spin. He was losing altitude fast as he dived through a layer of clouds. The two fighters followed suit.

Finn was hit with a rush of adrenaline. He had his tyre over the big red button labelled 'Eject'. He restrained himself; he trusted that Siddeley would get them both out, as he always had. Finally, with the help of a tailwind, he regained control, but was banking at a rather awkward angle.

Finn checked his Radar. He saw no sign of their pursuers. "They must have lost us in the clouds." he thought. But he couldn't be more wrong. One came head on at Siddeley, guns blazing and his eyes narrowed. His wings sustained multiple holes, and struggled on. Another came from behind Siddeley, and also fired at him. Bullets pierced through the poor jet. One of them hit Finn's computer and another whizzed past his rear view mirror.

"Siddeley!" he called out. "Open your cargo hold!".

"Um… err… alright boss, anything." Came Siddeley's rather puzzled reply.

Finn activated his magnetic tires, drove out onto Siddeley's fuselage, guns at the ready.

"Oh, that tickles!" said Siddeley as he swayed to and fro.

"Hold still old boy!"

Finn fired at the pursuers, who were becoming worn out from the chase. They fired at Finn. Finn rolled aside, and returned fire. A couple of the shots hit their mark, and one of the fighters pulled out of the chase. The other one, however, was more determined. Finn rewarded this with a cluster of bullets into his engines and he fell out of the sky in a fireball.

Then, without shots flying past, he spoke to Siddeley, who was struggling at a much slower pace.

"Are you alright boy?".

"You kidding boss? I've just had my new engine shot to pieces and my polished wings now have holes in them. Yeah, I'm alright, just." Siddeley managed another, half hearted laugh.

Finn was driving along Siddeley back to the cargo bay hold when he noticed one of the bullets had pierced his fuel tank. It was now leaking, spraying jet fuel all over Finn. He spat out a mouthful and continued.

Inside, he tried to contact HQ, but the communications system of Siddeley took a hit, and it wasn't faring well. He could only just establish a weak signal with Holley.

"Agent McMissile reporting in." he spoke in his calm but firm voice.

There was static. "Agent Finn McMissile reporting in, do you copy Agent Shiftwell?"

More static. Finn gave up. "Keep flying old boy, we'll land at in Toronto"

"Sounds good to me boss." Replied a relieved Siddeley.

They kept flying until nightfall. Siddeley spotted a landing strip, and made his approach. He lowered his landing gear and flaps. But as he touched down, his nosewheel burst, shoting hard rubber onto the runway and into Siddeley's mouth. It didn't taste very good but being rather rave, he spat it out and came to a stop. Finn drove out, and spoke to the shocked Canadians at the runway. After Finn had explained the story, minus redactions he had to make due to classified material, the Canadians, being friendly, let Siddeley stay in the hangar while he had parts replaced and others repaired.

Finn checked into a nearby hotel, where he cleaned himself, and where he got a good night's sleep. In his dream, he dreamt of his late friend Leland Turbo. It was his last mission, on the oil rig. He watched as the red spy car drove into a room with shelves of crates. Two cars drove in. Leland gasped. He shot them both before they could react. He raced towards the edge of the rig, where he set of and alarm and quickly was cornered and forced into the very same room he began in. Locking the door, he made a brief flash transmission. Then, he was overpowered by the Lemons, forced into a car crusher and Finn woke up with a gasp.

The sunrise was beautiful, but Finn was still thinking about his dream. He checked out, and drove to the airport. As he approached the hangar, he saw Siddeley, who had acquired a new pair of wings, but they were blue, and were from a cargo plane. Finn forgot about his dream and laughed. Siddeley didn't, he just grunted indignantly.

Finn boarded Siddeley. He taxied onto a runway. As he accelerated, Finn noticed on his calendar that he had some vacation days coming up. He smiled, and for the first time since he parachuted onto the island in the East China Sea, he was happy.


	6. Chapter 6

3 weeks later…..

Lightning was parked at Wheel Well. He gazed at the horizon, thinking there was so much out there that he had seen and Mater didn't even know about. He needed to see the world. More importantly, he needed it to see it with him. At that thought, Lightning paid his bill, which consisted of a mug of coffee and a lost spoon.

Lightning found Mater tractor tipping. He stared at the full moon. The full moon reminded him of the first time he went tractor tipping, and accidentally provoked Frank. He crept up to Mater and tapped him. Mater jumped, but managed to contain himself.

"Mater, how'd you like to come see the world with me?" Lightning offered.

"You mean it!?" replied a startled Mater, who had forgotten about their previous fight.

"You didn't get me into this, but you're coming along anyway!" answered McQueen.

The two friends laughed, and quietly rolled into the now quiet road of Radiator Springs.

McQueen entered his Cone, and Mater entered his shed, but not before righting his sign, which leaned, back almost instantly. Mater fell asleep quite easily, but McQueen had trouble sleeping. He was thinking about what he had missed when Mater was accidentally recruited by McMissile. He fell asleep after trashing the thought.

The next morning was unusually normal. Mater had a feeling it would be anything but normal. He was soon right. He almost fell asleep when he heard the town alarm clock ring.

"Will you turn that disrespectful junk off!?"

"Respect the classics man!"

Mater stretched his axles, and started to cruise down the road, onward to breakfast. Soon everyone was at the café, spreading the latest gossip and rumours. Then suddenly Mater pointed at the clear sky.

"Hey look a UFO!" he shouted.

"Mater, that isn't a….." Luigi soon corrected himself. "Mamma mia, it is-a UFO!".

A loudspeaker sounded. "You're almost right!".

Mater recognized the voice immediately. It was Siddeley. Siddeley landed in the middle of the road and opened his door. A pale blue Aston Martin rolled out, followed by a bright purple Jaguar.

"Finn! Holley! You're here!" exclaimed a surprised Mater.

"We certainly are Mater" said Finn in his deep British voice.

Holley didn't say anything, but her expression did. Mater hooked her up, and left her right between him and Lightning.

"Holley! Where ya been?" asked Mater and Lightning in unison.

Holley laughed.

"Paperwork, calling and more paperwork. Being a field agent should have more, field in it." She answered.

After the initial greetings, everyone went back to work. Sally kindly offered Finn and Holley a place to stay, an offer they accepted almost immediately. Siddeley, unfortunately, didn't fit in any building in town, so he said he would just sleep on top of Willy's Butte.

Later that day, Mater drove alongside Finn, who happened to be admiring a new polish from Ramone.

"So uh, Finn, how long are you gunna stay in town?" he asked.

"Five days, why?" answered a puzzled Finn.

"Lightnin's going to dis bran new race in Asia, in a week."

"Is he? I'd love to watch him, but I have work, time doesn't stop for a spy you know." said Finn.

Mater looked disappointed. Then, he grabbed an idea.

"What if you and Holley said to your boss that you had work in Asia?" asked Mater.

Finn was shocked, but then realised he did have work to do in Asia. So he agreed.

Mater was ecstatic, and that night, he came up behind Holley, who was in the café talking with Flo and Lizzie about dating tips and males. Flo came up with some ideas, while Lizzie kept going on and on about 'modern hot rods don't have style' and stuff like that.

Holley noticed him, and turned around. "Hello Mater, what's up?"

"Well um, you said you owe a date…." Mater blushed.

"Say no more Mater." said Holley. She kissed him on his rusty door and they both left the café in a rush. "Well, whaddaya think of that Lizzie?" asked Flo.

"Whaaaaat? Am I supposed to answer that?" came the reply.

The couple were having fun tractor tipping, running from Frank and basically just horsing around until they ended up at Wheel Well, where most of the Radiator Springs residents were.

"What would you like to drink Mater?" asked Holley, who was parked in front of the bar.

"Uhh…. I dunno, a quarter of tea?".

Holley faced Guido, who was the bartender.

"Un litro di caffè e una vodka per favour" she asked Guido.

"Sì madam" came the reply.

Once the couple were sipping their drinks overlooking Radiator Springs, Holley felt much better. Mater, who was trying to crush the can with his mouth, was making a bit of noise, but no one cared. Holley started at his rusty boyfriend, and wondered what would happen to them as a couple. She didn't care, and kept on staring at the beautiful town below.


End file.
